Ignition device



G. R. WRIGHT. IGNITION DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23.11917- i 41,4:1 1,703. 5 Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

` scription land accompanying PLAT-ENT orifice.

GEORGE '-REMINGTON'WRIG'HTfOF VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA.

IGNITION DEVICE.

1,411,703. y appneetion ined Juiy 23,

To all whom ,it may concer/n:

Be it known that I, A(Airfliono'n It. WinGHna subject ofthe KingofEngland, residing at `Vancouver,.British Columbia, Canada, have invented certain new and useful` Improvements in Ignition Devices, of which the .following 1s a specification.

The presentv invention haszrelation to limprovements Aupon 4the Vtimer ror commutator device torintcrnal combustion engines as disclosed by .my previous Apatent No. 1251.162

granted .December 1917.

lVhile .these improvements embody 'principles of construction and ioperation similar to "my previous invention of .the -raforesaid patent, they involve certain `novel features which provide `means forvovercoming many difficulties heretofore Aexperienced and Which means .from .the practical standpoint, possess important advantages lookingtovvard (l) an accurate yet Vautomatic control .of the 'point of ignition of ,the gases Ain timed relation .to.piston movement5 (2) a reduction in the deterioration of the circuitterminals due to airing, fa proper acilit-ysof .movement of fthe traveling brush carrier, yand lastly but importantly, .a greater Aeffectiveness in the action of the governorelements such that fthe leverage ,function of thelatter for 1)reducing relative movement of the brush 'carrierto cause ladvancing -of the spark will increase in proportion to the .increase of tension or .resistance oiferedhythe means provided to automatically eii'ect retarding oit-"the sparkat louY speeds of 'the engine.`

These phasesV of the invention Will be taken up seria-tim as-the Ydescription of the respective `features of "construction gi-ving rise thereto 'are set forth. 1 Y Y For a fullunderstandingof the invention, referenceA `is to be `had to Lthe following `dedrajvving in` which` `Figure il is an elevation showingthe :timer case in adjusted position upon the cylinder frontcover. p'

.Figure 2 isa verticalfsect1onal `view-showL Y ingin lful'llines theposition ofthe governor elements under retarding spark condition.

and in dotted lines, underfull advance :con-

dition. i

Figureg isa sectional view on the line Specication'of Letters Patent.

, Patented Apr.4,1922.

1917; semi no. 182,313` l While I have illustrated vthe embodiment `ot this device as particularly adapted tothe Ford motor construction and ignition sys tem, it Will be apparent to fthose skilled in :the art that it is capable Lo'l other adaptations Without material change of ydetails oi' construction. y

In the.l drawing l .designates the cylinder front cover againstthe face oflivhich -the vtimer case 2 of this invention is vheld ,by the vregular-equipinent spring One of the very Yimportant `points lin the assembly of vthe equipment of rmotor vehicles yis the `proper .positioning, relatively of the timer case.l for itmust he so disposedthat :it-.eze treme full retardthe spark or ignition will take place a fe'vv degreesk past :dead center.` this being `controlled vvherethe case yis of the ordinary movable type bythe `adjustnicnt oit-the spark liever connections. In the lpresent'instance however, the timercase 2 is relatively.stationary `and "is kremoval)ly held fixed by the. spring 3 vWhi ch at its .outer end seats in a transverse `groove 4L lin the casel ythe Walls ofthe `said. groove converging toward its hase so aste produce a avedg'- ing of l.the spring in place 1as its :fastening bolt El is tightened. This `particularly shaped groove compensates for any variationinthe Width springs as Imanuiiactured. andtakes up lost `ymotion that may occur incident 'to the variation. As will 4be noticed in Figure l. thisfgroove :furthermore conforms lto the narrowingr taper or' the outer end 'of the spring, all of `which is particularly designed to make the arrangement fool-proofin that it `is impossible for one unskilled 'inthe technical knowledgeof .these Amechanisms Ato make faulty Y replacement after installation.` `Since :there .are no link orlever lconnections for this casesubject to position of the case cover is determined, which is generally at the factory, it requires no further adjustment during the life of the device, but should it be found that a particular motor after continuous use or for other structural reasons necessitates the slight shifting of the terminals of the case so that the most retarded spark will occur at the proper point hereinbefore referred to, the mechanician may accomplish the adjustment by loosening` the cover screws 6 and shifting the case in either direction from the intermediate normal. depending upon whet-her the ignition point is to be advanced or retarded, said-cover being suitably slotted as indicated at 7, and preferably marked adjacent to one of the slots with the letters R N- A*- representing retard.` normal and advance, respectively.

The insulating material of the body of the timer case is iber or better bakelite and in this the segments S are inset, the usual binding posts 9 being arranged exteriorly. The application or removal of the case in this arrangement is extremely simple requiring only the slackening olf and tightening of the bolt 3', and engagement in or disengagement from the groove 4;, of the spring 3, and the accurate relationship of the segments with respect to tiring points in the cylinder is thereby .iixedly secured.

Passing now to the next feature, namely the rotor assembly, 10 designates a casing which is loosely journaled upon the sleeve 11 which is iiXed on the cam shaft 12 by a pin 13, and the cap 14 and nut 15 of the Ford equipment. It. may be here stated that I have had in mind when devising this construction of my invention the desirability of eliminating any necessity whatever for a change in the motor construction regularly placed on the market so that the device may be applied by an unskilled person ignorant of the use of special tools or the general methods of assembling motor vehicles. The casing 10 is provided with the cover plate 16 and this is closed against access to the contents, preferably by riveting the pins or posts 17 arranged diametrically opposite to each other, said posts having a further function as hereinafter described.

Pivotally secured at opposite sides of the sleeve are independently operable opposingf governor weights 18, one of which is best seen in Figure 5, and the special or particular shape of which is import-ant, as pointed out in the following description, The weights cooperate or engage with the spective posts 17 through the instrumentality of which the casing 10 is shifted relatively on the sleeve for the purpose of advancing the brush 19, carried in the peripheral pocket 20 so as to slightly project therefrom under action of a spring 21, to

contact earlier with the segments 8 of the stationary ease 2. This actuation of the casing takes place incident to the centrifugal action of the weights which are caused to swing about their pivots more or less according to the speed of the engine or shaft 12 and in such swinging the weights move outwardly in a radial direction, sliding against the posts, and at lthe same time in a circumferential direction. The retarding of the spark is automatically eiected obviously by the reverse action under the influence of the springs 22, each of which is connected at one end to the sleeve l1, as at 23 and to the casing 10 as at 24, the longitudinal axis of said spring normally lying tangent to the shaft 1Q..

As regards the brush 19, it may be stated that its oblongated shape is provided to insure the proper replacement whenever it is removed for any purpose, while as to matcrial. I prefer to use suitable metal.

This brings us to the second feature ot novel characteristics of this invention. lt will be observed that the segments 8 are very much, longer than usual, in fact they extend in an arc of substantially 85 leaving a very narrow interruption between each segment which intervening portion of insulation is preferably narrower than the thickness of the brush. By much experimentation I' have `found this to be very iniportant as affecting' the well known deleterious effect of arcing which rapidly burns away the extremities of the segments, resulting in defective operation of the ignition system. Owing to the fact that in my construction the brush at one side passes on to the next succeeding segment, practically before its opposing side leaves the preceding segment there is a substantial continuity of flow of the current eliminating the arcing of the usual constructions and prolonging the life of the vibrator coils and contacts.

Again in an arrangement of this character it is very desirable that friction between the brush and the stationary case be reduced to a minimum so that the brush carrying member will be sensitive in action under the actuation of the governor device. This is a condition obtained by the use of metal against metal, the brush having a sub stantially complete metal track on which to operate.

Furthermore the prolonged length of the segments is very advantageous as affecting quick firing in cranking over the engine, the extent of movement of the crank shaft required being noticeably reduced as compared with action of the former types of commutator constructions.

Rei/citing new to the special shape of the weights. it is of course an obvious requirement that the greater mass of the weight lll normally :lie .near the ycenter of rotation 'of the rotor so that 'the lleverage `action' will be least feifective under centrifugal action,

during slow speeds. As'thefwfeights .18sare A sufficient to overcome the increase of tension ol the restoring spi ings 22.

of the rctarding springs to the extent desirable i'or highest efficiency necessary to cause the proportionate greateradvance required of the brush contact. This was due to the fact that the spring tension increased in approximately an exact ratio as its length increased when stretched during rotation and the leverage of the weights did not increase in sullicient relative proportion.

This is overcome by providing the weight with a greater mass of metal at its free end but so shaping `it that this said metal becomes rapidly effective as the weight swings about its pivot bringing the mass farther away from center while normally the greater mass lies nea-r the axis of rota-' tion. K

lVhile the desired result is accomplished by the form of weight as particularly shown in the annexed drawing, I do not wish to be confined to such shape, any other produring the same effect being comprebended within the scope of my invention. A

Briefly summarizing the operation of the device, and referring to Figure 2, when the engine is started, the governor weights occupy the full line position shown in said figure, said weights gradually shifting toward the dotted line position 'as the speed of the engine increases and in so doing carrying the brush carrier or casing around in the direction of the arrow, thereby changing the relative position of the brush with respect to the segments 8 of the case In like manner as the speed of the engine reduces, the brush gradually resumes its normal retarded position under the action f rIlie result of this action is that the engine operates always at its maximum efficiency according to the spoed of actuation land because of the automatic control thus provided `the transmission changes of gearxratio are accomplished very smoothly, even by the most unskilled operator. k

VIt is to be understood that changes may readily be made in the details of construction as above described without departing vos Y Y 8 from the spiritV ofjthe invention and within the scope of the annexed claims. For example, instead of usingthe expansion spring type above described, each weight may providedu'ith a recess or seat to receive a 4cmnpression spring QQ, the outer end` of which is arranged yto `act against a nib or boss 22 on the casing 10 to accomplishthe desired result. f

Having thus described my invention, wliatI claim as 'new is l.' Ignition means for internal combustion engines, comprising a relatively stationary member, a rotating member, a shaft on which said rotating member is mounted, contactv terminals carried by said members, a governor device for effecting relative movement between the relatively stationary and rotating members during operation including a weight pivotallyT connected at one end to the shaft aforesaid, the vother end being free to shift under centrifuga-l action about said pivot and circumfercntially of the shaft and of the rotating member, and means arranged to be impinged by the weight to produce the relative movement between the parts as aforesaid.

2. Ignition means for internal combustion engines, a case having a plurality of contact terminals and provided with a groove, a retaining member attached to the engine and interengaging in the groove aforesaid for determining the position of the terminals and holding the case relatively stationary, a rotating cont-act carrying member arranged to cooperate with the case aforesaid, and means for controlling the position of the carrying member relatively to the case.

v 3, Ignition means for internal combustion engines, a case having a plurality of contact terminals, a retaining member connected at one end to the engine and at its other end tapering and engageable with the case, said case having a recess conforming tothe shape of the tapering end of the holding member, whereby to determine the position of the case terminals Vand hold the case relatively stationary, and a rotating cont-act carrying member arranged to cooperate with the case and shiftable relatively thereto.

4:. In ignition means for internal combustion engines, a case having a plurality of contact terminals, a retaining spring con-` nected at oneend to the engine and having its other end engageable with the case, said 'case having' ay part adjustably connected theretov with which the spring interlocks whereby, to permit of adjustment of the case with relation to said part to allow for variation of the relative position of the terminals` said case being held relatively fixed by said spring upon determination of an adjustment thereof, and a contact carrying rotor oper able within the case.

roo

taining member Connected to the engine and engageable with the cover groove l'or locli- 111g the ease 1n relativelyT Stationary position7 l0 and a rotating Contact Carrying` member arranged to Cooperate with said caee.

In testunonv whereof I aiiix my Slo'natln'e.

GEORGEj REMINGTON YVRIII. 

